Would you believe it, Suzuki’s venerable V-Strom is 21 years old! During those years the adventure bike market has grown ever bigger, with bikes in the category being loaded with more electrickery than a NASA mission, while the big Strom has been flying the flag for down-to-earth, road-based adventuring. It might not have been the most exciting or flashy adventure machine available, but its reputation for reliability, comfort and easy handling, not to mention good value for money, have earned it a loyal following over the years. And now, Suzuki has upped its adventure game with a new generation of V-Strom 1050.
The V-Strom 1050 line-up for 2023 is slightly different from before. There is the standard V-Strom 1050, retailing at £12,999, but the existing XT model has been replaced by a new, more rugged, V-Strom 1050DE (£13,699) with an offroad-ready 21” front wheel, taller suspension, and generally a more offroad-oriented setup.
Of the two models, the standard 1050 we rode looks more like the V-Strom as we know it, with retro-ish styling cues harking back to the glory days of the DR-Z800 off-road racer, but aimed firmly at road-based adventures with its 19” and 17” cast aluminium wheels and Bridgestone Battlax Adventure A41 tyres.
Suzuki hasn’t exactly reinvented the wheel here; instead they have added a few choice touches to a package that was already doing fine. The biggest changes are the bi-directional quickshifter and a 5” full-colour TFT dash. The V-Strom 1050, which is now effectively the base model to the more expensive DE, also gets the full electronic suite and equipment previously only included in the XT model. So, in a way, the easiest way to look at the new 1050 is to see it as a fully loaded XT with cast wheels.
Up close, the V-Strom looks much like any chunky adventure bike and, at 242kg, it’s no lightweight, but when you sit on the bike, you might be surprised that it feels smaller than it looks. The distance from the footpegs to the seat is not huge, nor the space between the seat and the bars. And although the bars are wide, they’re not massive. Overall, the bike feels fairly compact and manageable for a big adventure tourer.
When you start the engine, you are greeted with the gentle rumble of the long-serving 1037cc 90° V-twin engine. There have only been moderate improvements to the powerplant, so the power and torque figures remain unchanged at 106bhp and 100Nm. The improvements include hollow, sodium-filled exhaust valves, which help reduce the temperature in the combustion chamber for better efficiency, durability and feel. The transmission has been updated with taller first and sixth gears, for smoother shifting and better acceleration. Oh, and there’s the new bi-directional quickshifter.
On the move, the V-Strom is much like it was before. The engine is responsive and strong enough, without intimidating the rider with sky-high power figures like some modern adventure bikes do – you get what you need. Acceleration is decent, no doubt helped by the new gearing, and there seems to be enough pull across the rev range so you can be a bit lazy with gear changes – not that there’s any excuse with the new quickshifter.
Ride quality is good. Suspension is fully adjustable, but the standard settings seemed perfectly fine for road riding, keeping the bike balanced and offering a good feel of the surface. There is a planted feel to the bike, and both slow and fast riding felt stable and controlled. Squeezing the brakes hard not only activates the linked braking (with a little bit of back brake added when the front is activated), but also makes the IMU detect whether there’s a chance the rear wheel will lift, and if there is, keep it down. All this while the lean-sensitive ABS (with two levels of intrusion to choose from) works in the background. The brakes are also load-dependant, so if you are carrying a heavier load the bike knows you need more stopping power.
Traction control is not lean-sensitive, but it has three levels to choose from, or you can switch it off completely. On slippery roads the system seems to work well, with the intervention being fairly subtle, and the first sign of the system kicking in being the warning light flashing on the dash.
There are three power modes to choose from. All of them provide full power but vary in the immediacy of delivering that power to the rear wheel. The difference between the modes is noticeable, and they will be useful in changing conditions.
The electronics suite also includes hill hold control, cruise control, low RPM assist and easy-start function. None are essential items, but all are nice touches that make life that little bit easier with the V-Strom. All the rider aids are controlled easily via the simple switchgear and displayed equally simply on the new dash. Like the bike in general, the dash is not the flashiest around, but it’s got all the info displayed very clearly.
Although our test ride was not particularly long, you get the feeling that a full day in the saddle would be fine on this bike. The seat is comfy, the riding position in general is relaxed and upright in true adventure style, and the adjustable screen and handguards deflect the wind from your body, head and hands.
You could criticise the screen for being adjustable via a manual mechanism on the front of it, which means you have to stop to adjust it, while the seat adjustment requires an Allen key and a few minutes of faff. But in most cases, you rarely need to adjust these once you have them the way you want them, so it’s not too much of a hassle.
In a world where so many items seem to be classed as optional accessories, it’s nice to see the centre stand and hand guards are standard fitment, and for those after a charging point, there’s a USB power socket as well as a 12V outlet. Beyond that, you need to consult the original accessory catalogue for anything from luggage to heated grips, and lower seats to fog lights.
Conclusion
The V-Strom 1050 is an easy bike to like. It does everything that’s required from a big adventure tourer, and it does it in a calm and considered manner. It’s unintimidating, with sensible levels of power, nice and neutral handling, and good levels of comfort. The big V-twin has been around for a long time for a very good reason: it gets the job done, and just keeps on going. It might not offer the power and thrills of competitors’ V4s, triples, or even some twins, but it has enough to keep the ride engaging, and it sounds nice. With the addition of the new dash, a quickshifter, and better rider aids, the base model is now closer to the top tier of big adventure bikes, if not quite there yet.
What about the price? Well, it has gone up slightly with the update, and it’s now at £12,999. One of its biggest competitors, the Honda Africa Twin is only slightly more expensive at £13,049, while the Kawasaki Versys 1000 is significantly less at £10,879. Even the Triumph Tiger 900 GT undercuts the V-Strom at £12,195.
The V-Strom is a perfectly good choice for anyone looking for a capable V-twin adventure tourer, as long as you are not after all the bells and whistles or superbike-level power output. And if you want something a bit more offroad-capable, there’s always the new V-Strom 1050DE.
2023 Suzuki V-Strom 1050 specification
Price: £12,999
Engine: 1037cc, 90° V-twin
Power: 106bhp/79kW @ 8500rpm
Torque: 100Nm/73.76lb.ft @ 6000rpm
Transmission: Six-speed, chain final drive
Frame: Twin-spar aluminium frame
Suspension: Fully adjustable 43mm KYB inverted telescopic fork. KYB link-type, mono-shock
Brakes: Tokico radially-mounted, monobloc, four-piston front brake callipers and 310mm floating discs. Single-piston, pin-slide rear calliper and a 260mm disc.
Wheels: 19” front, 17” rear, cast aluminium
Tyres: Front 110/80-19 tubeless. Rear 150/70-17 tubeless. Bridgestone Battlax Adventure A41
Wheelbase: 1,555mm
Ground clearance: 165mm
Seat height: 855mm
Kerb weight: 242kg
Fuel capacity: 20 litres
Contact: bikes.suzuki.co.uk
